The new year had a horrifying start for 13 Kayamandi families, who lost their homes when a blaze swept through shacks in Luyolo Street, Strong Yard, leaving them with nothing but the clothes on their backs.
Around 13:30 Friday afternoon (6 January), Patrick Mbasa was awakened by the reek of smoke and found his room was enveloped by a cloud of dark black smoke. He also heard distant sounds of people shouting at one another to leave their shacks.
“It was chaos, people were screaming for their loved ones to leave their homes, as the fire had raced through the shacks. I saw my home burnt down in front of my very eyes. I could not even rescue my cellphone and my dog also died in the fire, under the bed where it was lying.”
Nonkonzo Matholengwe said she received a call from neighbours while she was in the Eastern Cape saying her shack was on fire. By the time she arrived on Saturday the place she used to call home was a vacant space with burnt metal and other items. “My brother and I are literally left with nothing,” she added.
Matholengwe was not the only person to receive a call while in the Eastern Cape. Her neighbour, Nothulani Nyembezi, was also called and informed of what was happening. She was in the Eastern Cape concluding her son’s initiation ceremony.
“My kids lost everything, from school uniforms to birth certificates. They start Grade 3, 9 and 10 this year.”
It is unclear what caused the fire.
Stellenbosch Municipality’s Disaster Management Team was on site assisting the victims with building material and food parcels.
